


Someone Take Me Home

by heavenlyshadows



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fix-It, Not Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Compliant, Not Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Compliant, Protective Tony Stark, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Has A Heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-15
Updated: 2020-08-20
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:35:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24730915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heavenlyshadows/pseuds/heavenlyshadows
Summary: When you can do the things that I can but you don’t and then the bad things happen, they happen because of you.The bad thing had already happened but it was within their power to make it right.orTony shouldn't have still been thinking about it. The "Time Heist" was a fantasy. But then again, just yesterday, Scott Lang had been dead.
Relationships: Michelle Jones & Ned Leeds & Peter Parker, Michelle Jones/Peter Parker, Peter Parker & Avengers Team, Peter Parker & Natasha Romanov, Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Comments: 6
Kudos: 105





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> An Endgame fix it. A lot is different but some parts, unfortunately, are still the same. I apologize in advance. A few notes in case some points in the first chapter don't make sense. 
> 
> -Peter and MJ have been together since Homecoming freshman year (7 years at story's beginning)
> 
> -They have lived with Pepper and Tony since the snap
> 
> -Both Peter and MJ are 23 years old
> 
> The title comes from the song Home by Machine Gun Kelly, Bebe Rexha, and X Ambassadors

In the seven years they’ve been together, MJ has learned everything there is to know about Peter Parker.

His favorite movie is Star Wars: A New Hope.

The only acceptable sandwich in all of New York, according to him, is the number five from Delmars.

He is the smartest person she has ever known but also the dumbest because he swings around the city looking for danger every night.

He is selfless and kind and funny.

And sometimes, he is a complete and utter child.

Which was why she shouldn’t have been surprised to find him and Morgan hiding from her in a pillow fort when she came home from work.

“Peter?” she called. 

Morgan giggled as she and Peter watched MJ through the slit in the fort’s door. He covered her mouth with his hand to stifle the noise but he was too late. MJ’s head whipped around instantly, eyes narrowing on their hiding spot.

“Hmmm, I wonder where he could be.”

There was a mischievous lilt to her voice as she paced towards them. Peter glanced at his sister, counting down from three before they jumped out of the fort, yelling  _ Boo! _ in unison. MJ shrieked and punched Peter in the chest, causing him to topple backward, taking the fort down on top of him.

“Morgan help me!” he reached for her from under the rubble. “I see a light! I think it’s the end.”

His little sister was howling with laughter as MJ crawled over and pulled a blanket away from his face, revealing a shit-eating grin. 

“Hey, drama queen.”

“Hey.”

He pushed himself up on his elbows and leaned in to kiss her, his hands sliding into her hair. 

After May found out about Spider-Man freshman year she insisted that she pick him up from decathlon practice every day while he was grounded. That meant that for six weeks after school it was just him and Michelle on the front steps, waiting for their parents. 

Once Peter finally got the courage to talk to her, he found out that she was actually really cool. They liked the same movies, though whether or not Han shot first was still an ongoing debate between them. 

Eventually, their talks on the steps turned into studying at one another’s houses or spending their nights watching movies on the couch. It wasn’t until she gave him a ride home dangerously close to missing curfew that she finally kissed him, leaving him to stumble breathlessly into his apartment.

So much had changed since then.

Half the population had been wiped from existence, including May, Ned, and MJ’s foster parents. For a moment, they thought Peter would go with them. He had come back after a month in space with one foot in the grave and the reality that he could die before he was twenty was like a slap in the face. 

Now, at twenty-three, they had even more reasons to be afraid, the sonogram picture folded in Peter’s wallet a flashing neon sign.

They were going to be parents. 

Parents whose perfect moment was ruined by the sound of Morgan retching.

“Ew, Dad Peter and MJ are being gross!”

Peter swatted her with a pillow.

“Oh, whatever.”

“Here,” Michelle stood and offered him her hand. 

“Alright guys,” Tony chuckled from where he stood in the doorway. “Go wash up lunch is almost-” 

He trailed off, distracted by a car pulling into the driveway. Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanoff, and Scott Lang stepped out of it. 

But that was impossible.

Scott Lang was dead.

Or at least, he was supposed to be.

-

“No, it’s too risky,” Tony said, pacing the length of the porch. 

“Tony after everything you’ve seen is it really imposs-”

“I didn’t say it was impossible,” Steve was interrupted quickly. “I said it was risky. You’re not coming home.”

“I did.” 

“No, you accidentally survived. It’s a billion to one cosmic fluke.”

Scott gaped but persisted nonetheless. “The stones are in the past. We can go back and we can get them. We can snap our own fingers, we can bring everyone back.”

“Or screw everything up worse than he already has.” Peter contributed.

“Not if we follow the strict rules of time travel. No talking to our past selves, no betting on sporting events-”

“Like in Back to the Future?” The conversation was so reminiscent of the one Peter had with Quill before everything went to shit that it made him snort. 

“N-no.”

“Good because that would be horseshit,” Tony said. “That’s not how quantum physics works.”

“Guys,” Natasha was staring at her shoes. “We have to take a stand.”

“We did stand. And yet here we are.” 

Scott was getting desperate, gesturing wildly with his hands. “Look I know you guys have a lot on the line but I lost someone very important to me. A lot of people did. And now we have a chance to bring her back, to bring everyone back and you’re telling me you won’t even-”

“That’s right Scott I won’t. We already did this once and I almost lost everything. I can’t roll the dice again.” Tony stood and headed for the house, throwing ‘If you don’t talk shop you can stay for lunch’ over his shoulder before the door clicked closed.

Peter went to follow him but stopped when he felt Scott’s hand on his arm. “Peter come on.”

His heart twisted because he wanted to help them but Tony was right.

“I’m sorry. I am.” He pulled his arm out of Scott’s grip. “I lost everything that day; my aunt, my best friend, but I can’t put my sister, my fiance, my-” 

He stopped himself just before the words tumbled out of his mouth.  _ My child _

“I can’t put it all on the line for something you think  _ might  _ work.”

Anger flashed in Scott’s eyes as he spun on his heel and stalked towards the car. Steve simply nodded before following and only Natasha was left.

She and Peter had gotten closer over the last few years, working together to try and fix the chaos the snap had left behind. In a way, she had become his surrogate aunt. She was the only one who knew he was going to be a dad. He and MJ planned on telling everyone today but now he didn’t think they could.

“Nat I-”

“You don’t have to explain yourself to me.” She glanced out over the lake and took a deep breath. “I knew it was a long shot.” 

The car horn startled them both. Steve was leaning out the window, waving Nat towards him apologetically. 

“Nat we gotta go.”

She rolled her eyes and pulled Peter into a hug. 

“Take care of yourself  _ маленький паук _ . Say hi to MJ for me.” 

Peter smirked at the nickname.

“I will. Be careful.”

She nodded an affirmative and then she was gone too.

-

Tony shouldn’t still be thinking about it. 

He was the first one to say that the “Time Heist” was a pipe dream. There was no way they could pull it off.

But if he knew that why was he thinking about the schematics of running a machine that size instead of listening to whatever Pepper was saying about composting? Why was he thinking about suiting up and going to help the Avengers instead of staying with his wife and kids?

“Tony?” Pepper’s voice made him jump. “Where are you right now?”

She brought her hand up to touch his face and he leaned into it, kissing her palm. 

“Sorry,” he mumbled apologetically. “I’m just thinking about what Cap said.”

“You want to go help.” 

She didn’t sound annoyed or exasperated. She sounded worried. 

Peter had barely survived their little field trip to space. Hearing the kid’s breaths rattle in his chest as Tony held him for what could have been the last time still haunted his nightmares. It hadn’t been much better when they returned either. He was on a ventilator for two weeks. It had taken months of physical therapy to get him back to his old self. Tony could still see signs of the hit his healing factor had taken when it took a week for a broken wrist to heal. Before Titan, it would have taken two days. 

And Peter and MJ were just starting their lives together. What kind of father would Tony be if he asked Peter to risk it all before he had a chance to understand what he was risking?

But still.

There were two photos on Peter’s nightstand, taken a year apart from each other. The first was taken after the decathlon team won nationals for the second year in a row; Peter, Ned, and MJ stood with their arms around each other grinning as they held their medals up for the camera. Tony and May stood behind them with Ned’s parents, all smiling proudly.

The second photo was taken at Peter and MJ’s graduation two years later. Instead of May and Ned, Pepper and a newborn Morgan stood in their places. If you looked close enough, past the hugs and smiling faces, you could tell something was missing.

Didn’t Tony owe it to Peter to try and get those missing pieces back?

“Dad?” 

Morgan stood at the bottom of the stairs, rubbing at her eyes.

“What are you doing, little miss?” he asked.

MJ supplied the answer from the next floor up. “Peter went running.” 

Tony sighed. A huge part of Peter’s recovery had been building his physical strength back up. Since they were living on such a big property, Helen Cho suggested running. 

So Peter had run.

And run.

And run.

Over time it became about more than getting strong enough to put the suit back on and go out patrolling, which Tony was desperately trying to avoid. It became his coping mechanism. If he was stressed or anxious, when he wasn’t at the compound training with Natasha or shadowing Pepper at SI, he was running. And that would have been fine with Tony if his running path didn’t go right past Morgan’s window. 

MJ flashed a guilty look as he passed Morgan off to Pepper. “Go back to sleep Mo. I’ll talk to him.” 

“Ok,” Morgan yawned. 

“Love you tons.” 

“Love you three thousand.” 

One kid down, one more to go.

“I’m sorry,” MJ said. “I keep telling him he’s gonna wake her up but-” 

“It’s ok. I should have seen this coming after Cap and them showed up.”

“Are you gonna do it?” she asked. “Go help them?”

He and Michelle hadn’t been friends when she and Peter first moved in after the Snap, but Tony would have liked to think they were close now. Close enough that he could be honest with her.

“I don’t know. What do you think?”

“I bounced in and out of foster care most of my life. Other than Ned, I don’t have anybody that I need to get back, so I know I would be ok if you guys didn’t.”

Something in her voice that made Tony think she would prefer it.

“But?” he prompted.

“But I don’t think Peter would be.” she sighed. “You guys are our family, but before you, all he had was May and Ned. He  _ needs _ them, and I don’t think he’s going to be able to live with knowing there was something he could have done to get them back and he didn’t.” 

_ When you can do the things that I can but you don’t and then the bad things happen, they happen because of you.  _

The bad thing already happened but it was within their power to make it right.

“Yeah, you’re right.” he scrubbed a hand over his face. “I need to talk to him.” 

He was halfway to the door before MJ spoke again. “Don’t let him die on me.”

Something flashed in her eyes but before Tony could identify its significance it was gone. 

“I won’t.”

Peter was sitting on the dock, his sneakers causing ripples as they swung over the water. 

He didn’t speak until Tony was sitting beside him. 

“I think we should help them,” he whispered.

“I know.” 

“I get it if you don’t want to come. You don’t have to come but I can’t just sit here while they’re-”

“Peter.” Tony cut him off sternly. “First of all, there is absolutely no way in hell I’m letting you do this by yourself so get that thought out of your head right now.” 

His son’s selfless need to save everyone was a side of him that Tony both loved and hated. Peter would die if it meant getting everyone back and that terrified him more than facing Thanos again ever would.

“And second,” he continued. “I get it, I just want you to understand. After New York, Iron Man became an obsession.” He took a deep breath, trying to force a breath around the regret and shame building behind his ribs. “I was terrified of everything. I was paranoid. I was sure that at any second some big bad was going to come and take everything from me. I thought that if I couldn’t put a suit of armor around the world I could put them around mine; Pepper, Rhodey, you. Look I’m getting off-topic,” 

Peter snorted. 

“My point is,” Tony said. “You have a good thing here with MJ, and I don’t want you to throw it away because you’re determined to single-handedly save the world.”

_ I want you to be better _

“I get it, Tony and I appreciate everything that you’ve done for me I just- I have to do this.” 

Tony stood, brushing dirt from his jeans and held his hand out to help Peter up.

“So let’s go do it then.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You know your teams, you know your missions. Get the stones, get them back. One round trip each. No mistakes. No do-overs. This is the fight of our lives. And we're gonna win. Whatever it takes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took a lot longer than I planned to post. I'm so sorry. I promise the next chapter will be up faster

_ You know your teams, you know your missions. Get the stones, get them back. One round trip each. No mistakes. No do-overs. This is the fight of our lives. And we're gonna win. Whatever it takes. _

Peter took a deep breath as he shot a web at the building across the street. In his timeline, it was converted into one of MJs favorite book stores.

Now, in 2012, it was deserted. The windows were smashed and the door was boarded over, amateur graffiti sprayed over the brick. 

A Chitauri let out a shrill screech from its perch in one of the windows. Peter narrowly dodged being disemboweled when he jumped over to the next building and dispatched it with a web.

The time stone was clutched in his hand as he swung. It had taken a lot of convincing to get the bald lady to give it to him but he had it. 

He sent out another web and then released it, catching himself just before he could hit the ground. May yelled at him for doing it once because she would “prefer you not die cause you were being dumb Peter” and he missed her so badly it hurt. 

But it gave him an idea.

Tony and Scott were waiting for him, a briefcase clutched to Tony’s chest. 

The space stone. 

Both their eyes lit up as he dropped into the alley and Scott scrambled to get out of the car, opening his mouth and then closing it when Peter dropped the stone into his hand. 

“Where’s Steve?” He asked

“He’s still working on it,” Tony sighed and he watched Peter carefully as he said, “We’ve got a little bit of time.” 

“Ok keep me posted. I’ll be right back.” 

He swung up streets and cut through alleys, taking Chitauri out as he went. When he finally found the building he was looking for he stopped on the roof and retracted his mask. Spider-Man didn't exist yet so he figured he was safe as he climbed down the fire escape.

The window of his old apartment was open and through it, he could see his eleven-year-old self, trembling in the corner with his hands over his eyes. 

On either side of him was May and Ben. 

Seeing them felt like a sucker punch to the chest and Peter almost couldn’t believe it. 

They looked different than he remembered, or at least, May did. Her hair was darker, less gray streaked with her natural brown. The permanent crease that had worked itself between her eyebrows was gone. She was still wearing her wedding ring. 

Peter had cried the first time he realized he couldn’t remember the same things about Ben. The exact color of his eyes, or the sound of his laugh. Those memories were clouded by nearly a decade of time.

He did remember what kind of father he had been though. He remembered him being at every meeting for every club Peter ever joined. Remembered the blanket forts they would build in the living room during thunderstorms and his hugs, where Peter never doubted that he was loved and safe. He remembered how hard Ben had worked at two jobs and his excitement when, after four years, he had finally saved up enough money to take Peter to the Stark Expo because all he wanted was to meet Iron Man. He was the reason Peter became a hero too. He had protected Peter and now Peter protected the city. 

He wondered if he would be that kind of father as he leaned in to get a closer look into the apartment. 

He was excited, there was no doubt about that but more than anything he was scared. If this job had taught him anything, it’s that there were no guarantees. No guarantees that nothing bad would ever happen to you. No guarantees that you would make it home.

Peter knew what it was like to grow up without a father and he didn’t want that for his child. 

A sharp rap on the window nearly made him fall off the fire escape. Ben stood on the other side of the glass, frowning at him.

“Who are you?” He asked. “What’s going on?” 

Peter gaped for a few seconds, scrabbling for words before “I-I’m just doing civilian patrol sir” tumbled out. “Making sure no one needs medical attention.”

Ben’s frown only deepened. “You sure you should be out there?” 

Peter fought the urge to roll his eyes. Even at twenty-three people still thought he was a child. 

“Yeah, it’s all good. We’re pretty far from the action so I think I’ll be ok.” 

There was a pause and Peter wanted to say more. He wanted to tell him everything. About who he was, about Tony and his powers and MJ and their baby. He wanted him to know that he was different from the kid he had been at thirteen. That he was happy.

He wanted to warn him to stay away from the 3rd Street convenience store on October 23rd, 2014. To not be a hero when a man with a gun came in and demanded the cashier give him all the money in the register.

But he couldn’t do that because Ben’s death had led him to this. To Spider-Man and Tony. To his family. Telling Ben what happened to him just two years in the future would take away all the good things that came after. 

“Kid,” Tony’s voice transmitting over the comms stopped him in his tracks. “Steve’s back. We gotta go.” 

“On it.” He said and when Ben raised an eyebrow, “I gotta go. Take care of yourself.” 

“You too kid.” 

He stopped just before he sprang off the fire escape, calling Ben back. He could see his younger self looking up at him with awe and he could practically hear the thoughts running through his head. 

_ It’s a real-life superhero. _

Because of the man standing just a few feet away.

“He’s gonna be alright,” Peter said carefully. “You did good.” 

Neither of them mentioned the way his voice cracked before he leaped from the railing and was gone, swinging back towards another war.

-

Sometimes Peter hates it when he’s right.

With this job, there were no guarantees. 

They had done everything right. They found the stones. They could snap their fingers and bring everybody back. 

_ Not everybody. _

Natasha was gone.

In the earlier months after the Snap Peter spent a lot of time at the Compound, both for physical therapy and for strategizing. 

He didn’t remember what caused the panic attack an hour into the meeting, but he did remember Nat holding him, sitting on the dusty floor with her arms around him so he couldn’t hurt himself. He did remember her pressing a pen into his hands when he could breathe again, holding out her arm and telling him to draw.

“Sam taught me,” She spoke quietly as he traced the pen over her skin. “After I came back from Russia. I couldn’t stop seeing my sister, how I couldn’t save her. He would sit with me for hours, help me try to get past it.”

Peter’s eyebrows shot up. “Hours?”

“Some days there was a lot to forget.” 

One look at her face and he could tell she was missing Sam. He wondered who did this for her now that he was gone. Did Steve? Bruce? Tony? 

He didn’t know so he took it upon himself. 

Sometimes he brought MJ along and not to his surprise, they got along really well. She learned the trick and now all three of them were covered in artwork. 

He would never admit that they were so much better at it than he was.

Now, out of his suit and in a T-shirt on he could see the drawings they had put on his arms, warping each time he flexed his hands.

Most of them were a mess. The different colors smudged from so many hours hidden under his suit, the lines of old drawings overlapping with new ones. There were times when he thought he should wash them off, cringing at the field day the press would have if they saw the future CEO of Stark Industries covered in sharpie art, but he could never bring himself to do it. 

They were a reminder that as much as he had lost in the Snap he had gained something too.

Now one of those things was gone and the only person Peter wanted with him on the dock right now was her.

“Should we call it off?” Bruce was the first person to break the silence.

“We can’t,” Peter shook his head. “If we call it off, Nat’s death meant nothing and I won’t let that happen. I can’t.” 

“The kids right,” Tony said. “We have to make it worth it.” 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Mister Stark? Can you hear me? It’s Peter…. We won. You did it, sir, y-you did it.”

_ “Mister Stark? Can you hear me? It’s Peter…. We won. You did it, sir, y-you did it.”  _

Peter thought Tony was dead. 

When the battle stopped and the Black Order disappeared, he landed to find Tony, badly burned and barely breathing, what was left of the gauntlet fused to his skin. 

They said their goodbyes. 

Rhodey held him as he and Pepper cried, whispered “I’m sorry kid, I’m so sorry” in his ear as each of the Avengers took a knee.

And at the last second, Peter heard it.

Tony’s heart. 

It was weak but Peter heard it. 

Strange portaled them to the Tower, Helen Cho and her team bent over Tony while Peter was stuck in the waiting room doing exactly that; waiting. 

At some point, Happy had brought Morgan and MJ. Peter didn’t remember exactly when. Michelle was silent in the chair next to him, tracing patterns over his bruised knuckles with her thumb. Morgan sat in his lap a while ago to keep him from pacing. Pepper was biting her nails a few seats away, Rhodey’s hand on her knee, and Peter wanted to say something, anything to break the heavy silence that had fallen over the room. Tony would have. 

“I can’t do this,” he whispered, setting Morgan in MJs lap carefully. “I have to go.” 

“Go where?” 

_ Anywhere but here. _

“Just for a walk. I’ll be back in a minute.” 

He made it about ten steps before he stopped. 

Standing in the doorway was May. 

She looked exactly the same, wearing the jeans and sandals she had been the day he left for that field trip and he came back but she didn’t. Her hair was a mess and she was wearing her glasses, which meant she didn’t have time to put in her contacts before she got here. 

_ How had she gotten here? _

Peter looked from her to Happy and back. 

“I figured you needed something familiar.” Happy said.

“Peter,” May sounded close to tears. “Baby-“

His legs gave out.

He heard someone shout his name and saw May dive to catch him but he didn’t register any of it. It was like he was experiencing everything underwater.

He didn’t pass out though. 

By some miracle, the farthest he fell was to his knees.

_ Pull yourself together _

May was kneeling in front of him and everyone was staring. Some of them had risen from their chairs and others had extended their hands. All of them looked worried. 

That’s when the dam broke. 

He grabbed hold of May and pulled her into a hug, sobs shaking his entire body. 

“Shhh Peter it’s ok,” May said, hugging him back just as tightly. “We’re gonna be ok.”

But right now, he didn’t know if they would.

-

May had nearly swatted Peter upside the head when he’d refused to be checked out by a doctor, opting to do it herself rather than fight with him anymore. 

“Hold still,” she murmured, her lip caught between her teeth as she pulled a needle and thread through a gash on his forehead. 

On any other day, Peter would have worried about getting blood on the expensive furniture but he’d stayed silent when she shoved him down on the couch in a room down the hall. The side of her only patients at the hospital saw was showing as she tied off the stitches and wiped away the last of the blood with an antiseptic wipe.

They had done this before; sat in their apartment while she tended to injuries he sustained after patrol, both a nurse and a worried aunt at the same time. 

Except for the hospital she worked in before was gone. There was another family living in their apartment. Peter had already graduated high school and college, he was engaged and had a baby on the way. So many of the things she had been excited to see him experience had already passed them by.

He could tell she knew it too. The look in her eyes was unbelievably sad as she tossed the soiled wipe in the trash and kissed the top of his head. 

“There. All better.” 

_ God I missed you so much _

“MJ’s pregnant.” 

May’s mouth dropped open.

“What?”

“We found out two weeks ago,” he said. “You’re the only one who knows.” 

His aunt sat frozen for a second and then two before she regained her composure, a smile splitting her face. 

“Congratulations baby,” she pulled him into a hug, and the longer he held her, the more tears he felt drip onto his shoulder. 

“Are you ok?” 

“Yeah,” she wiped at her eyes with her sleeve. 

“I’m happy for you.” She said “You’re so grown up and I’m so proud of you. I’m just sorry that I wasn’t there. That I didn't get to see it .” 

“You still can,” MJ suddenly appeared behind them. That was one thing that hadn’t changed. She still had an uncanny ability to go to and from anywhere without being seen or heard. 

Tony had joked once that she would make an amazing superhero.

“Pepper wanted me to give this to you.” In her hands was a cell phone, hours of video displayed on the screen.“Tony recorded everything for you. Called it the AHP.”

“What the hell is that?” May asked.

“The Aunt Hottie Protocol.” MJ and Peter said in unison.

May snorted before taking the device from Michelle. “Of course it is.” 

It was all there: Peter and MJ’s graduation, the days they opened their acceptance letters to MIT and Harvard respectively, and the day that Peter proposed.

They had taken Morgan to Coney Island and MJ bet Peter she could win something from the claw machine before he could after an argument about whether or not they were rigged. 

Peter won, much to Michelle’s annoyance. 

“Ok loser,” they could hear her say. “What do you want, since you won.”

Tony and Pepper gasped from behind the camera as Peter pulled the ring he had won out of its little plastic prison and dropped to one knee.

“Marry me.” He said. “I know it’s stupid and that the whole institution of marriage isn’t your thing but-“ 

“Yes.” Michelle beamed. 

Half of Coney Island was cheering as Peter slid the ring onto her finger. 

There were also moments that he didn’t remember, like the video that started with him lying in a hospital bed, sporting a black eye and neck brace.

“Hey May,” Tony sing-songed. “I just thought I’d make this so when you see it you can tell your nephew what an idiot he is. What did he do, you ask,” the older man pulled his chair around the bed so his face was a few inches away from Peter’s and smiled sarcastically. 

“He thought it would be a good idea to try and break up a fight between two drugs dealers,” he pulled Past Peter’s hands away from his face as he groaned in shame. “And nearly got himself killed.” 

May actually did swat him upside the head for that one.

“I agree with him. You are an idiot. But I still larb you.”

Peter had to swallow back more tears as he said, “I larb you too.” and the smile on her face nearly made him forget where they were.

_ I’m just happy you’re home. _

  
  
  


-

  
  


Peter twisted his key to the lake house in the deadbolt, opening the door quietly in case Morgan was taking a nap. 

They had finally been able to move Tony home two weeks ago. It wasn’t exactly what Peter had been hoping for but it was better than nothing. 

“Hey,” MJ called from the couch. She had a book and a Taco Bell soda cup balanced on her belly which was now significantly larger nearly seven months into her pregnancy. 

After May found out, it wasn’t long before everyone else did too. There were a lot of congratulations and hugs and confused looks from the dusted Avengers, who still hadn’t wrapped their heads around the idea that he, who had been an awkward seventeen-year-old yesterday, was old enough to even be starting a family. 

Pepper had immediately started working on nursery plans, taking every opportunity to drag his aunt into a corner to talk in whispered voices, and once things after the battle had calmed down a bit, helped Peter and MJ search for apartments. They had found one not far from the Tower but it pretty much went unused since they still spent every day at the lake house. 

“Hey,” Peter sank down next to her with a quick peck on her cheek. “What are you reading?”

She flipped the book up so he could read the cover.

_ A Tale of Two Cities _

“Ah, was it the best of times and the worst of times?”

“Haha,” she laughed sarcastically. “Speaking of the best of times,” She set the book on the coffee table, taking his hand in hers. 

“What’s wrong?” 

“Nothing,” MJ shook her head. “Everything’s perfect.”

The tears in her eyes said something different.

“MJ you’re starting to freak me out. What the hell is going on?” 

“Tony’s awake.” 

He was up from the couch so fast that she jumped. “What? Why didn’t you call me?” 

“I was going to but you were already on your way home-”

He didn’t hear the rest, bolting up the stairs and through the door of Tony’s room, where Pepper, Rhodey, Happy, and Morgan sat with a very much awake and alive Tony Stark.

“Hey kid,” his voice scraped against his throat from lack of use and Peter sobbed, rushing forward and crushing him in a hug.

“Shhh,” Tony stroked a hand through his hair. “Shhh, bambino it’s ok.”

Everyone else stood from their seats, filing out of the room with a promise that they would be downstairs if they needed anything.

“Are you ok?” He asked.

“I’m better now that I know you’re ok.” 

Peter untangled himself from Tony and threw himself down in Rhodey’s recently vacated chair, laughing half-heartedly. 

“What?” Tony asked.

“Only you would be worried about  _ me _ after being in a coma for four and a half months.” 

“Pete you’re my son, of course I was worried about you.”

Peter dropped his forehead down to the mattress, closing his eyes. 

“I’m so happy you’re awake.” 

“Me too bambi.” 

They lapsed into silence and for a moment Peter thought Tony had fallen asleep. When he looked up though, he was wide awake, staring at him. 

Peter frowned. “What’s up?” 

“I saw MJ today.” 

It took Peter longer than it should have to figure out what he was talking about. 

“Oh.” 

“Yeah ‘oh’. What the fuck Parker?” Tony didn’t actually sound mad, but he definitely wasn’t happy. 

“We were going to tell you, but then Scott showed up and they needed our help and it didn’t seem like the right time and besides you never would have let me go if I had told you the truth-“ 

“Peter.” 

He closed his mouth with a snap. 

“I’m sorry. We should have- I should have told you. Honestly, I wish I had sooner cause,” he laughed again, humorlessly. “I have absolutely no idea what I’m doing.” 

“I’m gonna be honest with you Pete,” Tony said. “You’re never going to. You think you have one thing figured out and then something new comes up and you’re back to square one.”

As MJs belly grew bigger and more stuff was moved into the nursery, reality hit him like a ton of bricks. 

He and MJ were going to be  _ parents _ . 

How was he going to take care of a kid when he had to call Happy to help him put a crib together?

Tony must have realized Peter was disheartened by his answer because he started backtracking immediately. 

“But you’ll be fine. You guys have babysat Morgan before and done fine.” 

Peter stared at him like he was being particularly dense. “That is nowhere near the same thing. That's only for a couple of hours and then we can give her  _ back _ .” 

“Just think about it like babysitting for eighteen years.” Tony chuckled. “Look, all jokes aside, there’s nothing I can say that’s gonna suddenly give you all the answers. But you’ll have them when you need them. And you’re not alone. You’ve got me and Pep, Happy and Rhodey, the Avengers.” 

Tony squeezed his hand, tight. They both ignored the tears falling as he said, “When Morgan came along I was in the same boat you are. My dad wasn’t the most affectionate and I thought that I would be the same way but then she was born and I realized I already felt everything I needed to feel. Cause I had you.” 

He took a shuddering breath.

“You are my son in every way that matters and I am so proud of you. You’re a better man than I- Ah shit give me a sec,” 

Tony pulled his hand out of Peter’s to wipe his eyes. He had never been one to show an outpouring of emotion but Peter understood why he needed to say it. Remembered more than a few missions that had gone sideways, what thoughts went through your head when you thought they would be your last. 

“You’re a better man than I could ever hope to be,” Tony said. “I’ve always known that. That’s why I picked you.” 

“Tony-“ 

“No just listen for a sec,” he reached up to touch Peter’s cheek, hissing in pain when it twinged the raw burns on his other side and instead settled for taking his hand again. 

“I’m a mess. I’ve always been a mess. It’s like I said, you think you have one thing figured out and then something else comes along and sweeps the rug out from underneath you. Because of that I second guess everything. The one thing I have never,  _ ever _ second-guessed is picking you.”

Tony traced figure-eights over Peter's knuckles with his thumb, avoiding his eyes. 

“You’ve got such a big heart, Peter. Sometimes I think it’s bigger than your brain which is why you constantly run into stupid situations where you might die.” 

Peter’s laugh came out distorted.

“And I have no doubt in my mind that you will pass every bit of that on to your kid. They’re going to be fine and so are you.” 

“He.” 

Tony stopped short. “What?”

“We had the gender reveal appointment last month. We’re having a boy.”

His mentor grinned, practically yanking Peter out of his chair and into a hug. 

“That’s amazing Peter.”

“We picked out a name too.”

Tony raised an eyebrow.

“We like Ben. Benjamin Anthony Parker.” 

It hadn’t taken them long to decide on it. Peter’s two fathers, the only ones he remembered having anyways, were as big a part of his son's life as they were of Peter’s.

“Jesus kid, just when I thought I was done crying.” A brief pause and then, “I’m honored.” 

“I love you,” Peter said. 

“I love you too bambi. Always.” 

**Epilogue**

Tony Stark died on a Wednesday. It wasn’t extraordinary, fighting in a great battle to save the human race. It was quiet, at the ripe old age of ninety-three, surrounded by his wife and his children, both well on their way to old and gray, and their children. Their children’s children. 

It wasn’t sad. Because he had been able to see Ben and Morgan grow up, alongside Peter and MJ’s daughter Tessa. He had a chance to see that he was right. Peter was an amazing father and gave all of himself and more to his family. Ben was like Peter in the best ways; he was quirky and kind and unbelievably smart. But he was like MJ too and instead of taking over SI or the Avengers like Peter had for Tony, he joined the Peace Corps and started his own nonprofit. The mantle was passed to Tessa and she took amazing strides for the company that surpassed anybody's expectations. 

Tony was proud.

His death wasn’t sudden. He got to say goodbye to everyone he was leaving behind; Peter, Morgan, and Pepper held his hands as he took his final breaths. 

It wasn’t unnoticed. Though nearly forty years had passed since Tony last put on an Iron Man suit, no one forgot. All over the world, there wasn’t a single street you could walk where you wouldn’t see his face. And even if the world forgot, Peter knew that he never would. 

Tony was loved.

His death wasn’t the first. With the exception of Thor, he was the last of the original Avengers. And the one would never forget that they had once been six.

Tony Stark died on a Wednesday. His death wasn’t extraordinary but he was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's the end! Thank you to everyone who left kudos and comments I really appreciate it. Constructive criticism is also welcome, I'm always looking to improve

**Author's Note:**

> Next chapter should be up soon
> 
> Just to clarify, Natasha is the only person who knows about the Parker/Jones baby. Tony and everyone else will find out later in the story


End file.
